R277 Any Way But God’s Way

Could it be that you even you have been stubborn your life. I sure have a great message today for us. This is the Encouraging Word featuring the Bible-based preaching of Dr. Don Wilton well-known author evangelist Pastor seminary professor for 25 years. The pastor of Dr. Billy Graham mentioned that because is a brand-new book coming out. You can check it out@gwonline.org GW online.org but I know one of the many things Dr. Don Wilton learned from Dr. Graham, is the fact that we need to deal with our stubbornness. Have you ever said anyway. But God's way. Maybe not. But our actions sometimes say that that's today's message anyway. But God's way open God's word of the book of John chapter 14 with Dr. Don Wilton. Let's open our hearts and say God speak to us today. This morning John's gospel chapter 14. John's Gospel in chapter 14. I have no doubt that everyone here today would agree that we as a people are an alternative seeking people. We are blessed indeed. Are we not in our society today offers us a smorgasbord of alternative we are an alternative seeking people and society provides us with a smorgasbord of alternative. The Bible tells us that one of the greatest difficulties that we have as men and women is the difficulty of trying to understand that whilst we may have alternatives in the exercise of our lives. We do not have an alternative when it comes to God's grace. God is the God of absolutes. In fact, I'm going to submit to you today is each one of us buddy John chapter 14, that this is probably the passage in Scripture that has closed more schisms and more debate throughout the centuries, and it boils down to one single issue human beings are not prepared to accept that there is only one way to get to heaven. I've had many people over the years. Come to me and say to me, pasta.

I know what the Bible says I don't exactly follow what the Bible says but I want you to know that I'm very sincere about my religion. Others have said all roads lead to the same point others of said preacher. I wish you wouldn't all the time. Talk about the Lord Jesus Christ. It seems remarkable that Charles Haddon Spurgeon that great British theologian said every time I open the book I make a beeline for the cross.

It is been said by publications throughout the centuries that any preaching that is void of Jesus Christ and him crucified is not Christian preaching Paul put it like this. He said I saved to know nothing among you except thing Jesus Christ and him crucified. That's what Paul said my mandate from this congregation, as is the mandate of all Christian churches is at times to major on Jesus Christ and him crucified.

Now why because whilst in the world today. We are presented with a smorgasbord of alternatives and choices. The Bible tells us that Jesus Christ is the only way by which you and I can receive forgiveness of sin and entrance into God's him out subject this morning is any way but God's way.

John chapter 14, not beginning in verse five Thomas said to him, Lord, we don't know how where you are going, so how can we know the word Jesus Johnson I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me.

If you really knew me you would know my father's will.

From now on you do know him and have seen him. Then Philip said, Lord, show us the father and that will be enough for us. Jesus Johnson, don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you for such a long time. Anyone who has seen me has seen the father.

How can you say show us the father. Don't you believe that I am in the father that the father is in me. The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the father living in me, who is doing his work.

Believe me when I say that I'm in the father and the father is in me, or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles them so I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the father and I will do whatever you are asking my name so that the son may bring glory to the father. You might ask me for anything in my name and I will do it by the Lord, right his word upon our hearts this morning.

Probably one of the most forgotten statements in all of Scripture is verse eight Philip said, Lord, show us the father that will be enough for us. Jesus spoke about the father. Jesus spoke about the reality of the father and it seems to me, my friend, is the Lord Jesus Christ was approaching this whole this unbelievable moment in time that Jesus was making a statement by referring to God as these father. In fact, I'm going to draw your attention to the fact that the word father which is part of Jesus revelation to mankind in that he reveals the father through us this wonderful endearing loving name that we've heard even with these precious children and they father's this morning that this term is used, 156 times in the Gospel of John itself. That was not the case in the Old Testament.

Why well I don't know exactly the reason why but God perhaps what Jesus is trying to say is that here at the foot of the cross a bounty to make this statement about the authority of God's way as being the only way that God is not merely God Elohim, the awesome God, the God of creation. He's not only omniscient in his purpose and impotent in his power and only present in he's person, the God of the Old Testament Elohim, perhaps for Jesus was saying to his disciples here when he talked about Jeep God as the father he was saying that God is not just Jehovah of the God of the Old Testament. He's not just the God of covenant. A wine Zande a loving but very strict God in terms of his requirements maybe what Jesus was trying to say to Philip and to his disciples, is that God is not just Adonai, the God of Kaman the sovereign Lord, the owner of the universe rather what he is saying is he is saying that God is God the father, the God of comfort, the God of compassion, the God of family, the God of overcoming the God everything that you and I need the sufficient one in line saying God goes far further than being Elohim or Jehovah or Adonijah seat is the God of creation, yes he is the God of Kaman but Jesus was saying to his disciples, he is my father and he's your father, and he is the God of comfort.

What a word to us today in the bomb blast of Oklahoma City.

He's the God of comfort. He's our heavenly father. But you see my friends in verse eight. Here Philip in his perplexity finds himself in the midst of a direct conflict.

There is a head-on collision if you please. That is taking place between Phillips spiritual understanding.

Annie's human perplexity and condition his human condition is colliding headlong with the spiritual understanding and it is who exemplifies what I believe to be the best of all human beings and that is he was asked to sing a craving for something tangible and visible to be earmarked and the hallmark of East by what Philip was saying he was saying I know Jesus that you said I am the way the truth and the life. But I want more. I want the same smorgasbord that life offers to me. I'm not willing to just accept the fact that you are the way the truth and the life I want more show me the father show me something tangible.

Show me something visible perhaps what he was saying is he saying I want to make a pilgrimage to Mecca in order to express my faith. Maybe I need to wash in the Ganges River to express my faith. Maybe I need to call a pilot staircase naked in row in order to ask my faith maybe I needn't give me just to pray for maybe I need a statue of Mary to pray for maybe I need to hold something in my hand, maybe it's a worship service.

Maybe I need to light a candle, but I need something visible and tangible to prove the essence of my faith show me the father and Jesus says you've been with me so long you don't understand the essence of faith that I am the way the truth and the life no man can come under the father but by me.

And it is at this juncture that Jesus begins to explain number one the way, what was he sorry he is saying to Philip Philip I want you to know there are two ways. There are two alternatives in the smorgasbord of black there is any way and that is God's word. Jesus put it like this. He said one is called the Broadway and he said it's a Broadway and there are many people upon the Broadway in the Broadway leads to destruction, and many people are finding that way. My way is the narrow way. There are few people to find it and my way leads to life.

That is why I am the way, there is no alternative. It is not to discussion my I say, Dr. Taylor, our Chairman of deacons with due respect sir.

And, to the praise and glory of God in this great church. What Jesus was saying is that there is sometimes that you don't need a deacons meeting. That's what he was saying is God's sake, listening to Dr. Don Wilton our teacher here on The Encouraging Word broadcast. Please go away will have the rest of today's message anyway. But God's way in just a moment, but Dr. Wilton insists I remind you that this is not just a presentation to conversation every moment of every day. We're excited about the new ways that either email or frantically text or frantically phone or frantically all the ways that we have to pray together and watch God use the power of his word to encourage us even as we encourage one another, if you'd like to speak with someone pray with someone their phone number is 866899 word that's 866899673 or you can connect online as well. TW online.org that's TEW online.org and one of the points of encouragement has been so powerfully successful, literally thousands upon thousands of people every morning, get an email from Dr. Don. I'm one of those and it is a powerful one. It helps us can place to apply that scripture to a life without practical mission details on our website online.org. Of course it's free email. You can sign up for the daily details at T.

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W online.org that's TW like the Encouraging Word online.org now that today's great teaching with Dr. Don Wilton. There are some things that go beyond the church. There are some things that the mind there are some things that go way beyond anything that you are not. Jesus said I am white, but then he said secondly I am the truth.

Anytime you talk about truth you talk about exclusivity. You have to talk about dogma and dogmatism. And I'm going to stand here today and join together with Christian men and women of all denominations from C to shining sea who was standing any Christian pulpit and say absolutely yes Jesus Christ is being absolutely dogmatic and absolutely exclusive when he says that he is the only way to the fall. There is no other way, not by virtue of my birth of my accent to my church membership all my baptism or my position on my seminary training. Jesus says I am the true. And I'm the only one who is the true then he says 1/3 thing he says not only am I the way modern am I the truth but I'm the lack what was the meaning by that he was telling his apostles and telling you and me for ages to come into Jesus comes back again. He was saying that I as God Jehovah as God Elohim is God as God the father, I have the complete monopoly of all my he saying life begins in me, and it ends in me.

That's why my friends is a church we take a stand against abortion. That's why we take your stand against the social evils of the world. That's why we believe that life begins at the moment of conception. That's why we take a stand as Christian men and women in society about the whole concept of life itself. Why because Jesus Christ said and why I am me. You have life eternal. I am the way the truth and the life no man can come under the father but by me. I had a friend many years ago when I was a student at University by the name of Mark. He was a tall dark handsome goner got had a beautiful motorcar. We hate to all the girls followed off the spell.

I mean he was stinky state and he was popular but boy was he miserable. He was miserable.

He tried everything. Drugs, alcohol one day I went into his room and Mike was standing on his head, not going to do that here buddy was standing on.

He said upside down regarding the transcendental meditation, yoga, he started getting off truly evil things in the world to God's Word warns us against the spirit will people that consult with the stars people that you can call on phone numbers and lost them about all kinds of things that the Bible teaches us not to get involved in the spirit will this man tried everything. One day we came back from dinner went into the dormitory kind of the bottom there was blood coming out from under the door. We kicked the door down and Mike was lying there right next to the commode that far away from this he had slipped both his wrists and he was almost dead blood everywhere.

We took him out put them in the motorcar took in the hospital. He spent two months in hospital by God's grace he recovered from that, he came out of hospital began to recover and one day he was walking down the road when prostate Church of the Nazarene and they were in their singing hymns to the glory of God. He walked inside him that day. Mike gave his life to the Lord Jesus Christ and he was totally transformed. He became a totally different man.

He became a major witness in my own life because I was in a terribly rebellious stage my own self or spiritually speak Jesus said I am the way, I am the truth and I'm the line and so what does that mean it means six things according to God's word number one. It means that you will know God. That's what it means. It means my friends when you accept the dogma of God's word number one. It means you know God look at verse nine, Jesus said, in perhaps the rebuke of Philip. He said don't you know me, Philip, even, are probably among you for such a long time. Anyone who's seen me has seen the father.

So how can you say show me the father. You know the fall. What Jesus was saying is that my way means number one you will know God there is a search for significance. There are books written today about the search for significance, the meaning for significance.

There are people searching everywhere to try and find God. Jesus said I am God, and my life is gone and if you find please find God and if you want to know what my mother is all about anyway but what it is God's Word and God's way you will know God is not in greater number two.

He was saying to him. If you do it my way. Number two, you will definitely understand the truth you will understand the truth. Look at verse 10 he says don't you believe that I'm in the father and the father is in me.

The words I say to you on not just my own. Rather, it is the father living in me, who is doing his work week grappling with truth to the we don't want the truth. People would check the truth, you can turn on a talk show. They'll be talking about everything from Buddha to this to that to the next thing what you got a fine the people are going to tolerate.

But the moment you put someone who knows Jesus Christ on a talk show the crowds rise up in unbelievable agony. Have you noticed in Hollywood. Most of the movies that are coming out today. Sadly, folks. This is hardly a movie you can watch the doesn't have blasphemy. You notice that many of the movie from anyway. When the person drops of brick on a star that he says Buddha or Mohammed or David Koresh or Rajneesh. By one.

Have you noticed that every single move. I have never heard a movie. Sadly, when I have good blasphemy and my heart the screens that it has not been named the Lord Jesus Christ what is Jesus say Jesus says when you do it my way. Number one, you will know God number two you will understand the truth number three you will believe his miracles. That's what verse 11 says you will believe his miracles. Why did Jesus say to not just because of the miracles that had already taken place because of the greatest miracle that was about to continue taking place, which is the rebirth of a person to know that they know that they know that they know the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus said if you do it my way. You will believe miracles you will see the evidence of changed lives everywhere and you will believe number four. You will do his will. Verse 12 tells us very clearly tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I've been doing all blue eyes said in a different way.

He said humanity is going to do it my way. God says God's word and what Jesus was saying to his disciples, is simply this. When you do it my way.

You will do my will.

Number five, you will pray with real purpose.

You will pray with real purpose look with me at verse 13. I will do whatever you lost in my name, so that the son may bring glory to the father. Jesus was saying these disciples not anyway.

But God's way when it's God's way. One of the byproducts is that you will pray with purpose.

I certainly sincerely hope as we prayed this morning for the people in Oklahoma City that we prayed with purpose in our hearts and lives. But I want you to note in the six place if you do it God's way. The Bible says in verse 414 that you will receive permission to enter into his presence. That's what the word says you might ask me for anything in my name and I will. Can you believe that.

Can you believe that when you do things God's way that God gives you and me permission to enter into his holy courts enter into the throne room. He says I am the way the truth and the life no man can come unto the father but by me. Would you bow your heads with me this morning.

You know the Lord Jesus Christ you know him whom to know his life eternal. You settle the issue of your personal relationship with him.

You can do that today, not early service we had some, who had given his life to the Lord Jesus Christ.

It's happening all "God's way. All there is a great clamoring society for churches that are going to preach anything but God's people to do anything but God's way, you heard a site many times in this great congregation. Major responsibility is to keep the main thing the main thing. What is that mean it means exactly that God's way. I am the way, the truth and the life no man can come under the fall, but by me. Powerful teaching from Dr. Don Wilton when he ends with the red letters. In the words of Jesus. What a powerful reminder that no one comes to the father but through Jesus I pray that you know Jesus and know that your path to him.

Your path to heaven is secure. But if you don't would you take a moment and open your heart to what Dr. Don was to share with you next.

Are you ready to give your heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ. I'm so happy to hear that wanted to pray this prayer with me today. Dear God, I know that you love very and I know that the Lord Jesus came God on the cross so that I might be forgiven today. I repainted myself. I confess my sin. I invite you Jesus name I pray, if you prayed that prayer that may be the first one welcome to the family of this is one I hope that you know how much I'm going to be praying how very cold we can talk to Nick place you can begin this wonderful journey. If you just prayed to receive Jesus Christ as your Savior or rededicate your life with Dr. Wilton. Moments ago. We are so welcome you to the family or welcome you back home in the midst of all that's going on in the world around us right now we want you to know that you are not alone in this journey.

It's a brand-new beginning for some of you are restoration of let's do it right this time with others and you need to know we have resources that will help you grow give us a call right now at 866899673866899673 or me this online tewonline.org online.org this note you've given your life to Jesus. We would love to put some free resources that Dr. Don has chosen specifically for this next step for you just need that's 866-899-9673 and again on our website TW online.org source, especially for those of us that have dealt with loans at some point hear all the details about the freshman book the long solution. Jesus said you are the light of the world gives us so many opportunities to share the gospel. I believe today is our friends, family and neighbors are.

So what is God saying to me are the light of the world. Jesus brings there is warfare spiritual warfare going on like we've never experienced. We had better wake up America we need to encourage one another in times like eating and encouragement life changing ministry research to send you from a good friend of mine, your gift of support Encouraging Word, loneliness solution finding meaningful connection. The loneliness of the ocean is a great resource to encourage people on how to discover friendships with others. I want you to copy for yourself and copies to keep on going about your day you will ever know how much the right time to change someone's life at 866992 request solution for your prayers. Encouraging Word around times gone to David throughout the week and we have one of the points of connection worship services to find all the details on our website TW online.org. Let's meet there. Now that's TW online.org